This evening about 40 people gathered at the Emery Secondary Site to talk more about the ECCL project and the bike/ped path that is in the General Plan for that site. In case you have not followed this issue, Emery Unified School District has asked the city to delete the path from that site saying that there is not space or money to put in the path with the new construction of our K-12 community school and center. Emery Bay Village residents have also asked for the path to be deleted citing security concerns. The Bike/Ped Advisory Committee (BPAC) asked to meet on the site today to walk through and talk about the concerns, trying to understand how we got to this point and how to solve this problem. The City Council voted NOT to delete the path from the General Plan a few months back. City staff pointed out that the path could remain in the General Plan, but that the project could also move forward without including it. Hmmm.
It was an animated discussion, although I left feeling discouraged. Several people called for creative thinking to break through and find a real solution. But road blocks are put up again and again, and some individuals didn't seem to be listening to all sides of the conversation. As to when the decisions are made and how firm those decisions are is always contentious. It isn't over until the building is built, one person said. Others said, the plans have been completed and the CEQA documents are in public comment now.
I feel that we need to envision the Emeryville we want to have and work steadily to get there. The General Plan process put "connectivity" and improving the pedestrian experience high on the list of goals. That is what all of the paths in the General Plan are about -- breaking up super blocks, where the only way to get from one quiet street to another is by going to the arterials, such as San Pablo, Hollis or Adeline. That is not pedestrian friendly to me.
And our brand new, we-want-to-feel-so-proud-of-it, hope-it-lasts-a-long-time Community Center and Full Service K-12 school should be setting the example, not shirking its pivotal role. Where better can we make a statement to kids, families and neighbors about encouraging alternative modes of transportation, reducing car emissions, encouraging physical activity and active transportation? I think kids should be able to walk or bike safely to school. It is all about priorities and the cost of everything... and what needs to change to make it all work.
The fear mongering about how dangerous a bike/ped path will be, with a sound wall and a security fence do not make sense to me. The street is dangerous as well, but we still put schools next to streets. Active uses tend to make places safer. And the increased cost of security personnel monitoring students may be mitigated by fewer vehicle miles driven, if we can put a cost on all the ramifications of our decisions, including the air we breathe and the lifestyles we choose. Saying that we are not ready for a bike/ped path, and will get it once we have erased all criminal activity nearby is giving in to defeat. We are building for our tomorrow.
The biggest surprise today is that the pool deck problem seemed to go away through the conversation. The sound wall can be placed closer to the property line (it will need shoring up seismically anyway , and a sound wall is planned to be built for the remaining length of the property line) and the visibility will be improved with a security fence between the path and the pool, with plenty of room to take a couple of feet off the deck for the path. The entrance to the pool is moving to the other side of the pool anyway it turns out! In fact that seemed like the easier problem to solve today, when compared to compromising a portion of the track around the football and baseball fields to get the path to fit on the north end of the property.
EUSD says that the path can go in during Phase 2. I am concerned that if Phase 1 doesn't get planned with the path included, there will be no political will to be certain that Phase 2 will include a path, especially if it will mean taking away the track or something that everyone has already gotten used to.
So, we had a wonderful chance to discuss, learn new things from each other, embrace community engagement and dialogue, but I am still not certain that this problem has been solved. Not yet anyway. We will keep trying. We have to if we want to realize our dreams for this wonderful town, Emeryville. We have to get it right!
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